News

12 May Action in the Midwest

Project Update: LogistiCenter℠ at McCook
Design/Build project that consists of 2 spec warehouses designed for multi-tenant use, totaling 662,700 SF.

Fun Facts:

• Site formally owned by Reynolds Aluminum and used for office and partial manufacturing.
• This site and surroundings were part of a previous EPA Super Fund Site. It has been remediated but requires a environmental cap be placed over the green space.
• Due to poor soil conditions we are excavating as deep as 14 feet and re-compacting beneath the building footprints.
• We are constructing both buildings on simultaneous schedules and delivering them together.
• Included moment frame structure to eliminate the internal K-bracing present in many industrial buildings.
• United Construction value engineered the roof structure and precast façade design to reduce costs by $100,000.

30 Apr Congratulations to Atlantic Aviation on the Grand Opening of Their New FBO Facility

United Construction congratulates Mr. Jay Hamby and the Atlantic Aviation executives on the completion and grand opening of their new, state-of-the-art Fixed Base Operation (FBO) facility at the Reno Tahoe International Airport.

Standing on the site of their previous FBO, Atlantic Aviation’s new, world-class FBO and hangar is ready to serve both private and corporate aviation travelers. The facility includes upgraded finishes, contemporary design, office/FBO, ground service, and hangar space. In addition to the new hangar, office and FBO, the building features a second story with well-appointed office space, and meeting rooms. Other highlights include an emergency generator back up system, radiant heat in the hanger, 28’ clearance hangar space, comfortable lounge and seating areas and ample planning, maintenance and meeting space. With high-end amenities throughout, this new FBO sets the gold standard for new and future Atlantic Aviation facilities.

• Project Stats – Project Timeline: 10 months including design and construction
• Total Project Size: 45,315 SF including,
• New Hangar Space: 29,890 SF
• Office Space: 13,025 SF
• Ground Service Space: 2,400 SF

09 Feb NOW Foods Announces Accelerated Completion of Manufacturing Facility and 100 Related Jobs

NOW Foods anticipates hiring new employees as early as March

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 9, 2012 CONTACT: Scott Walquist, KPS3, 775-686-2116, scott@kps3.com

Sparks, Nev. – Today. NOW Foods, an international manufacturer and distributor of health food and nutritional supplements, announced an accelerated completion date for the second phase of its new 130,000 square foot west coast distribution and manufacturing facility in Sparks, Nev. Phase two features installation of equipment and related building improvements required to complete the manufacturing portion of its local operation. Due to the accelerated timeline for the manufacturing operation, NOW Foods also announced that they will begin hiring for the newly created manufacturing, management and chemist jobs beginning in March 2012. “NOW Foods achieved tremendous global growth in the last year, allowing us to accelerate the completion of phase two of the west coast distribution and manufacturing facility sooner than expected,” said Al Powers, CEO of NOW Health Group. “Because of the business-friendly environment Nevada offers, it made sense to move so quickly here. This is a great opportunity to accommodate our high growth rate and better serve our customers, and work with the northern Nevada community to generate positive economic movement.” The full-time jobs being created with phase two of the project will include manufacturing management, skilled machine operators, chemists, as well as some warehouse and general labor, with multiple shift options. Within 18 months, NOW Foods expects to hire 100 employees in northern Nevada for the manufacturing operation, along with additional hires for its distribution operation. NOW Foods, a manufacturer of dietary supplements, sports nutrition, personal care and nutritional foods based in Bloomingdale, Ill., currently operates a distribution facility at 990 Packer Way in Sparks, which opened in 2003. “The high quality workforce in northern Nevada will reduce the need to relocate most of our management level employees as we will be able to hire qualified managers and scientists right here,” said Jim Emme, president of NOW Foods. “The exceptional and educated work force that the region has to offer is another reason NOW Foods is excited to increase its operations in northern Nevada. Originally scheduled to be completed in 2014, NOW Foods worked closely with United Construction Company (UCC) to expedite the development of phase two of the project, moving the completion date to the third quarter of 2012. Phase one of the project that includes the warehouse/distribution facility built by UCC, is scheduled to be completed in March 2012. “United Construction has been an incredible partner in making phase two a reality,” said Emme. “We have a great deal of trust in United Construction to be able to meet our accelerated goals with this project. We have also received great support from elected and appointed officials in Nevada, including Governor Brian Sandoval, who understand our regulatory challenges and who has given NOW Foods the confidence to move forward with this project. The City of Sparks, EDAWN and The Chamber also played large roles in this project, assisting us in overcoming any obstacles that we faced to achieve and meet our accelerated timeline for the project.” Once the manufacturing improvements are complete in the third quarter of 2012, NOW Foods will have the ability to manufacture and ship its products regionally, versus shipping all products from its mid-west U.S. operation, creating a more efficient and sustainable business model. NOW Foods’ manufacturing facility in Sparks, Nev. will prevent the need for off-shore manufacturing of products to meet the demands of NOW Foods growing customer base. With the completion of the manufacturing operation in Sparks Nev., NOW Foods will have invested more than $20 million into the operation in northern Nevada, the company’s largest single facility investment ever. United Construction Company was awarded the contract for the NOW Foods design-build project located at 575 Vista Blvd. in Sparks in June 2011 and broke ground in July 2011. The new facility consists of 70,000 square feet of warehousing and distribution, 50,000 square feet of manufacturing, 6,000 square feet of office and 4,000 square feet of cooler/freezer space. The project was designed to cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practices) Pharmaceutical Standards. NOW Foods will pursue USGBC LEED Silver Certification for the new Sparks facility by meeting or exceeding the local development and green building standards. “United Construction is happy to have the opportunity to work with NOW Foods to bring such a positive economic impact to northern Nevada,” said Craig Willcut, president/CEO of United Construction. “Our community is fortunate to have NOW Foods expand its operation in our region and invest its resources not only to succeed as a company, but help northern Nevada succeed economically.” Those interested in applying for the newly created jobs that offer multiple shifts can visit www.NOWFoods.com beginning in March. About NOW Foods Founded by Elwood Richard in 1968, NOW has grown from a small, family operation to a highly respected, global manufacturer of natural health products. Today, NOW manufactures and distributes over 1,500 dietary supplements, natural foods, sports nutrition, and personal care products. NOW’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility has been cGMP certified since 2000, and its quality testing labs are among the most advanced in the industry. The company has over 600 employees and its products are sold in more than 60 countries. For over 40 years, the company has remained family owned and operated, and is committed to its original mission of providing value in products and services that empower people to lead healthier lives. For more information please visit www.NOWFoods.com. About United Construction United Construction is one of Nevada’s leading design/build and construction services firms, providing more than 30 years of best-in-class services to a wide variety of customers in the western United States. United Construction’s portfolio includes more than 35 million square feet of successful building project completions for both public and private sector customers. For more information, please call Michael Russell at (775) 858-8090 or visit their website at www.UnitedConstruction.com. 

###

NOW Foods Jobs – Press Release (.doc)

06 Sep Urban Outfitters Grand Opening Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 6, 2012
CONTACT: Stephanie Kruse, KPS3, stephanie@kps3.com, 775-771-4510
Scott Walquist, KPS3, scott@kps3.com, 775-686-2116

West Coast Internet Fulfillment Center of Urban Outfitters, Inc. Begins Operations

Grand Opening Event Hosted by Dermody Properties and United Construction Company

RENO, Nev. – Dermody Properties and United Construction Company today hosted a grand opening event for the Urban Outfitters, Inc. (Nasdaq: URBN) West Coast Internet Fulfillment Center in Reno, Nev. to celebrate the beginning of operations at the facility. The team of Dermody Properties and United Construction was selected in early 2011 to develop and design/build the 462,720 square foot facility for URBN; the project is the largest private building project completed in the state of Nevada since early 2009.

Urban Outfitters, Inc., is an innovative, lifestyle-focused specialty retail company operating under the Anthropologie, BHLDN, Free People, Terrain, and Urban Outfitters brands. The firm operates more than 400 stores in North America and Europe.

The total investment in the region by Urban Outfitters, Inc. for the development, improvements and construction was approximately $55 million.

Urban Outfitters, Inc. began operations in Reno in 1998, servicing 15 western stores through a third party logistics provider. It opened its own retail distribution center in Reno in 2007, and today it is servicing 137 stores.

“The people in Reno have always made us feel as though they valued our business, even when our volume was substantially less,” said Ken McKinney, Executive Director of Logistics for URBN and speaker at today’s event. “When we did an independent study in 2010 to determine the best site for a western US Internet fulfillment center, Reno was the recommended location. Frankly, we were delighted with the final result, because for the past 14 years Reno has proven itself with its business-friendly environment and the excellent workforce we’ve been able to attract.”

The facility, which is USGBC LEED Silver Certified, is located at 12055 Moya Boulevard on 38.34 acres of development-ready land in the Dermody Properties LogistiCourt at Silver Lake. United Construction was notified of the certification the day before the event.

The Phase 1 building has more than 450,000 square feet of warehouse space, over 10,000 square feet of office space, an automated state of the art Material Handling System (MHS) and a 24/7/365 data center. A future Phase 2 expansion can increase the facility to 895,360 square feet.

Dermody Properties and United Construction started the project in February 2011. United Construction began the pre-construction planning and building design immediately. Construction began in May 2011, the building envelope was complete by November 2011, and installation of the very sophisticated and complex Material Handling System began in December 2011. Construction was complete in February of 2012.

Now that operations have begun, the URBN center is employing approximately 70 people. According to URBN officials, that number will spike to more than 100 during the peak (holiday) period this year, with the additional staffing being comprised of temporary staffing agency people.

“Next year, when additional volume starts coming through the distribution center, we expect to average roughly 120 FTEs (Full Time Equivalents), and spike up to 180 during peak holiday periods,” McKinney said.

“We were honored to host this very important event for this company, our region and our state,” said Michael C. Dermody, Dermody Properties’ Chairman and CEO, “The Urban Outfitters team came to Nevada 14 years ago, and we’re honored today to be part of their team. All of us at Dermody Properties thank Urban Outfitters for their commitment to this region.”

Craig Willcut, President and CEO of United Construction expanded on the process of working with URBN, “For over 34 years, and through many economic cycles, Dermody Properties and United Construction have been chosen by more companies to assist them to grow, build and develop their facilities than any other team in northern Nevada. With this leadership comes the responsibility of taking the economic risk associated with bringing companies to the region. It’s a risk we welcome and are honored to take. We thank our team for making these successes possible.”

Also instrumental in assisting Urban Outfitters were EDAWN (the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada) and the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED).

“Northern Nevada is fortunate to have such a tremendous commitment from Urban Outfitters, and we are pleased they chose this region for their Internet Fulfillment Center expansion,” said Governor Brian Sandoval, who participated in the grand opening event at the Urban Outfitters facility in Reno today. “I’m also very proud of the work of Dermody Properties, United Construction, EDAWN and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development in bringing about this expansion. They truly share my commitment to effective economic development and to creating new jobs for Nevadans. I’m honored to have been able to assist in encouraging Urban Outfitters to choose our state.”

Other guest speakers at the grand opening were: US Senator Dean Heller; Reno Mayor Bob Cashell; URBN CEO, President and Chairman of the Board, Richard A. Hayne; and EDAWN CEO Mike Kazmierski.

“Having come from private industry before entering the public sector, I truly applaud a team such as Dermody Properties and United Construction for its efforts as private sector companies assisting in the economic development initiatives of a state and region,” said Steve Hill, Director of GOED. “They helped ensure that Urban Outfitters, Inc. elected to choose northern Nevada as the location for its expanded facilities for Internet fulfillment. The Governor’s Office of Economic Development appreciates good partners such as Dermody Properties and United Construction, as well as this region’s economic development authority, EDAWN.”

The Dermody Properties team that worked with Urban Outfitters during the process included Michael Dermody; Douglas A. Kiersey, Jr., President; Douglas Lanning, CFO; and John Atwell, COO. From United Construction, the team included Craig Willcut; Michael Russell, COO; Michael Thomson, Design Manager/Architect; Mike Brunkow, Project Manager; Mike McMordie, Project Superintendent; Dan Westman, Field Operation Manager; and Robert Schenck, Senior Estimator.

“The building design reflects Urban Outfitters’ culture and features an architectural look and feel not seen locally before,” said Thomson of United Construction, and designer of the facility. “It was our intent to study and listen to them as a valued customer, understand them, and then deliver what they needed and wanted, just as Urban Outfitters is known for successfully understanding and meeting the desires of their customers.”

###

About Dermody Properties

Dermody Properties, parent company of DP Partners, is a privately held national industrial real estate development company. Founded and headquartered in Reno, Nev., it has regional offices in Portland, Ore., Philadelphia, Penn., and Chicago, Ill., as well as property holdings in Las Vegas, Nev., Harrisburg, Penn., Savannah, Ga., and southern New Jersey. Over the last five years, Dermody Properties has developed and leased more than 5 million square feet, averaging over 1 million square feet per year. Over its 50-year history, the company has developed and leased more than 35 million square feet of high quality industrial/distribution facilities to many Fortune 500 companies and other well-respected firms. Dermody Properties currently has more than 3.5 million square feet of industrial space that is 90 percent occupied, and is actively doing build-to-suits and joint ventures throughout the nation. To learn more about Dermody Properties visit www.Dermody.com.

About United Construction

United Construction is one of Nevada’s leading design/build and construction services firms, providing more than 34 years of best-in-class services to a wide variety of customers in the western United States. United Construction’s portfolio includes almost 40 million square feet of successful building projects, completed for both public and private sector customers. For more information, please call Michael Russell at (775) 858-8090 or visit their website at www.UnitedConstruction.com.

About the Team of Dermody Properties and United Construction

Dermody Properties, a local family business established in Reno in 1960, has grown into one of the premier private industrial development firms in the nation. Under Michael Dermody’s leadership, the company increased its focus on customer service and created a unique platform of bringing the developer and contractor together to better serve the client. In 1978, Michael Dermody and Tony Taormina formed United Construction Company, which was the foundation of today’s quality and customer service organization that has lasted over 34 years. Both companies owe a large part of their success to three groups of people: the talented and committed employees of both companies, local subcontractors/vendors and their customers. As a team, Dermody Properties and United Construction have:

• Completed over 19 million square feet of facilities in Nevada
• Each year, for over 34 years, created an average of 150 direct full-time management, support and construction jobs
• Built properties that have contributed over $90 million to the local property tax base over 34 years, which in turn under the regional tax structure, has contributed nearly $30 million to fund local education
• Helped bring over 250 new companies to the northern Nevada

Urban Outfitters Grand Opening Release